Federal authorities announced that a highway construction company agreed to pay tens of thousands of dollars to settle claims that a female truck driver was subjected to sexual harassment and retaliation.
On September 9, 2024, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that construction company Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Inc. is to pay $80,000 to a female truck driver to settle a sexual harassment, hostile work environment and retaliation lawsuit.
The EEOC says that the company violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protects individuals from workplace discrimination and harassment.
According to the lawsuit, for more than a year, the female truck driver endured sexual harassment from multiple male coworkers. One coworker reportedly “asked the victim to ‘talk dirty’ to him, send pictures of her breasts and sit on his lap” and sent sexually explicit text messages. After the truck driver complained, the harassment escalated, according to the suit.
Additionally, the suit accused male coworkers of calling the truck driver sexually derogatory names. Male coworkers also told her to “shut the f*** up you stupid b****”, and told her “This is a man’s world . . . if you can’t handle it then go work for Walmart,” officials say.
After the truck driver complained about the harassment, the EEOC says that she was denied an opportunity for advancement she was expecting and transferred to an undesirable work location.
“This case illustrates that employers need to take swift action on employee complaints of sexual harassment and hostile work environment before the conduct escalates. Failure to do so will result in employer liability under Title VII,” said Melinda C. Dugas, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Charlotte District Office.